Red Rose
by Crystal7
Summary: Based on the 1998 movie version of The Man in the Iron Mask Anne tells Aramis, Porthos, Athos, and Philippe about her affair with D'Artagnan.


Disclaimer: I own nothing

Author's Note: Based on the 1998 movie "The Man in the Iron Mask"

**Red Rose**

Anne sat, her hands folding neatly in her lap, as she watched her son conduct his business as king. Philippe was a good king. Posing as Louis was hard for him, she knew, but after Louis imprisonment in the mask, Philippe was free to be as he was, rather than pretend to Louis.

She smiled as she watched him, watching a young maid leave the room. She knew that there was something going on between Philippe and the young woman but never questioned what. Her youngest child was a good king. She hoped, however, that Philippe could overcome all the boundaries that came with being king.

Philippe still held the air of Louis around him in the way he walked and ate, thanks largely in part to the training Aremis, Porthos, and Athos, had given him. In public he was King Louis, but in private Aramis, Porthos, Athos, and herself called him Philippe.

Louis had been moved a country house a few weeks after his imprisonment in the mask. Anne was going to visit him in a couple of days, disguised as a small weekend retreat. She had not seen her son in almost four months. She hoped and prayed that his imprisonment in the mask, would humble him.

She knew now that if she had confided the truth in D'Artagnan about Philippe, that a lot of pain and suffering could have been spared. D'Artagnan would never have tired to capture Philippe and may have even helped imprison Louis. She knew that if Louis had been imprisoned, D'Artagnan would still be alive.

She had traded one son for another. She loved them both, but knew that Philippe deserved a chance at life and that France need a king who would care for his people. D'Artagnan had prayed all this life for such a king and by dying he had assured that such a king would come to the throne. His own son was the king he had always hoped for.

The change in King Louis' behavior did not go unnoticed by his people. They believed though that his sudden change was D'Artagnan's death. D'Artganan had been a hero of France, a role model for all young boys, a model fantasy for young girls, and the reason that most young men joined The Musketeers. They believed that the loss of his head Musketeer changed the light in his life.

Philippe dismissed all the generals, guards, and other royal officials from the room. "Mother," he said, holding out both hands to her.

Anne placed her hands in her son's, stood up, and kissed his cheek, "Philippe," she whispered softly and then speaking just a beat above a whisper said, "You are doing a wonderful job, my son." 

"I have great help," Philippe said, looking back at Aramis, Porthos, and Athos. "Mother," he said, leading her back down to the sofa bench, "There is something that I - and I know that that they, are wondering about."

Anne glanced at the three older men and then at her youngest child, "Yes, my son?"

"I was wondering about D'Artagnan and yourself," Philippe whispered. Than, as if gaining strength he continued, "What happened? If it doesn't pain you to speak about it."

Anne lowered her head and removed her hands from her sons. She folded them her lap and studied them for a moment. They were worn with age and did not look remotely at all like the hands she had had twenty years ago. Twenty years ago. Has it really been that long, Anne wondered? "It will not pain me to speak of it," Anne said, trying to maintain the strength in her voice, "It would be nice to speak about it."

Aramis, Porthos, and Athos dragged over fabricated chairs from the far side of the room to sit by Anne and Philippe. Athos got up and locked all entrance doors and closed all the drapes of the windows while Aramis made sure all the secret passageways were blocked off. The last thing they needed was for someone to hear how the Queen of France had committed adultery and treason with France's greatest hero.

Anne studied her hands before looking up at the group and then swallowing, she looked back down. She could not look into their faces. "As you know, France is not my native home. I was nervous and frightened when I first arrived and Louis tried to make me feel welcome here. He was older than I and I was more frightened of him than anyone. Our early years of marriage were spent mostly with me in church and him working on fulfilling his roles as king.

"I spent less time in church as I became more accustomed to life in France and my role as queen. Louis and I realized, about two years into our marriage that one of us was barren. I had not yet conceived a child and determined to prove it was not him or his age, he took on many mistresses, but not on of them returned to him and said they were with child.

"Louis and I grew farther apart and soon rarely saw each other. I found salvation in prayer. After I was nearly killed in assassination attempt against Louis, he had D'Artagnan become my bodyguard. The best of his musketeers to protect his queen. He would have disposed of me as quickly as he could if it was not for his alliance to my father.

"D'Artagnan saw how depressed I was and worked to cheer me up. Soon Louis believed that I was out of danger and D'Artagnan was removed from his duty to protect me. It didn't, however, stop him from checking up on me. We had become good friends during the time he spent protecting me.

"Louis became more demanding of my time and soon I began to find a red rose left for me, everyday, at the church where I prayed. It wasn't until months later that I learned it was D'Artagnan leaving me the roses. He left me a cryptic note one day and I met him inside the church, when no one was around.

"It was then I learned that since he could not speak his feelings aloud, he left me the roses as a way of telling me what he felt. I realized that he was in love me and I with him. We carried on meetings that would raise no suspicions. It wasn't until years later that we actually shared a kiss." Anne gave a small smile and looked up at her son and his dearest friends.

"When I realized I was with child I went to D'Artagnan immediately and told him that the only thing I could do was convince my husband this child was his. D'Artganan agreed and we parted ways. He continued to leave roses for me, but we barely spoke and never in private.

"Louis and I began to share the same chambers again and he believed it was his child. Only D'Artagnan and I knew otherwise. I think Louis had suspicions but he never voiced them. He had his heir and that was all he needed. After Louis and Philippe were born, and I was told that," Anne looked straight at Philippe, "you were dead," she looked down again, trying to choke back emotion in her heart, "I prayed more and more. My husband and I parted ways again after the twins were born and almost never spoke. D'Artagnan continued to leave roses for me but again, we too never really spoke.

"I spent most of my time trying to be the best mother I could to Louis, but my husband would not have his queen mothering her own child. D'Artagnan and I once shared a stolen kiss when Louis was about ten years old, but other that we nearly never spoke. We were afraid that if we shared a conversation in public view, that someone might just see how much we cared about each other and become suspicious."

Aramis offered a comforting hand to Anne, who took it, "I am sorry you and D'Artganan suffered so much."

Athos spoke up, "It explains a lot about D'Artagnan's behavior, his early nights, the-"

"drinking the night Louis and Philippe were born," Porthos injected.

Anne squeezed Aramis hand and then let it go, folding her hands in her lap she allowed herself a small smile, "Yes D'Artagnan later told me once, when he was inquiring about Louis health to me privately, that he had tried to drown his sorrows in alcohol."

"I just wish he could have told us," Porthos said.

"It was treason," Philippe said, speaking up for the first time, "Their affair was treason, after the king's death, however..." Philippe paused, "Why could you and D'Artagnan not have been allowed together after the proper time had passed?"

"Louis never would have allowed it," Anne said, "To other it would have seemed perfectly natural, for the Queen Mother and the head of The Musketeers, to be together. However, it would have also raised many suspicions."

"Treason is punishable by death," Aramis reminded the group, he turned back to Anne, "The two of you took a great risk."

"It was risk we were more than willing to take. Love is the only risk worth taking," Anne said and then she turned to her son and squeezed on of his hands, "Remember that," Anne said, thinking of the servant girl he had been watching earlier.

Philippe looked down, as if embarrassed. Anne stood, and the men stood with her, "If you don't mind," Anne said, "I will take my leave now. I am very tired after today's events."

"Of course Mother," Philippe said.

Anne left the men to debate about politics, wars, and her recent telling of her affair with D'Artagnan. There were many details she had left, merely because they were private. The fact that she had to struggle to get Louis to take her to her bed again, the fact that D'Artagnan would sneak into her bed chambers through the secret passageways in the palace and had even constructed some of his own passageways, unknown to any but the two of them, so they could meet in a private room, inaccessible to anyway but through the passageways.

Anne walked out into the palace gardens. She wished she could visit D'Artagnan's headstone, but it was far into the forest, where he had wished to be buried. Anne picked a rose of the rose bush and put it up to her nose. D'Artagnan would never leave her a rose again, but he had left a rose on her heart.

**THE END**


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